Create an ideabook for your next remodeling project!
Browse more than 1,000,000 photos from top designers and save your favorites
Houzz Tour: Motley to Modern in the Hollywood Hills
A California house with a choppy layout is redesigned to incorporate an addition, an open nature and indoor-outdoor flow
Houzz Contributor. After graduating from UC Berkeley, I found myself utterly unprepared for the real world and at a loss as to what I should do next. Luckily, one day I stumbled through the doors of Architectural Digest and was taken under the wing of legendary editor Paige Rense. She had the vision to look past my uninspiring sociology degree and my general lack of experience—an unlikely journalism career was born. After AD, with my magazine karma still intact, I was hired by yet another publishing legend, the food critic and writer Ruth Reichl. I currently ply my trade as a freelance writer and editor and live in stylish Mid-Century-Modern comfort with my dog, Mike.
twitter.com/WriteEditDream
Houzz Contributor. After graduating from UC Berkeley, I found myself utterly... More »
“I'll trade you four walls for four beams." OK, that's not exactly what Margaret Griffin of Griffin Enright Architects said to the owners of this home — but it was a fantastic tradeoff nonetheless.
The 2,000-square-foot residence was laid out like many other postwar houses. "It was a series of highly compartmentalized rooms with a staircase in the middle," says Griffin. She relocated the stairs and remade the entire lower level into open-style living by removing four walls that bisected the house and replacing them with a single column and four beams.
"All of these changes centered around one of our major challenges, which was to figure out how to create a larger apparent volume and maximize the views throughout the house so that the sight line was open from the front of the property to the back," says Griffin. As you'll see below, those aren't problems anymore.
The 2,000-square-foot residence was laid out like many other postwar houses. "It was a series of highly compartmentalized rooms with a staircase in the middle," says Griffin. She relocated the stairs and remade the entire lower level into open-style living by removing four walls that bisected the house and replacing them with a single column and four beams.
"All of these changes centered around one of our major challenges, which was to figure out how to create a larger apparent volume and maximize the views throughout the house so that the sight line was open from the front of the property to the back," says Griffin. As you'll see below, those aren't problems anymore.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Griffin notes that the family already had amazing furniture. "One of the owners is from Denmark and brought over a lot of the pieces," she says. "They had a very specific idea of a lifestyle and wanted the house to work with their furniture." The living room's main pop of color comes from the Zanotta sofa, which sits alongside Orange Slice Chairs by Pierre Paulin. The floors throughout the home are ebony-stained rift-cut white oak. A single column (seen at the rear, center) stands where four walls previous met and divided the main level into four separate rooms. |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
The renovation included a complete makeover of the exterior. "The house was built postwar, but it was not midcentury," says Griffin. "It was a 'ranch burger' of sorts. We wanted to camouflage the existing roof and make the front of the house more dynamic." Her team transformed bay windows into large window boxes that step back from one another and cantilever over a courtyard that's just inside the door fronting the street.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
The courtyard was previously divided into three separate areas. "We made it one large space — essentially you enter into a front outdoor room — and had the living room [which was previously at the back of the house] and dining area open into the courtyard," says Griffin. The old brick walls were redone with stucco.
The Louis Ghost Armchairs and Bubble Club Sofa are both by Philippe Starck for Kartell. The firepit is from Blomus.
The Louis Ghost Armchairs and Bubble Club Sofa are both by Philippe Starck for Kartell. The firepit is from Blomus.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Back inside, it's clear how well the indoor and outdoor areas flow together. "The family likes to entertain a lot, so we used the connection with the courtyard as a way to open up the entire house," Griffin says. The dining table, visible at left beyond the kitchen, is from Design Within Reach and is surrounded by Verner Panton chairs. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| The library (and a guest room on the second floor) is part of a 300-square-foot addition to the floor plan. Its back wall abuts a fairly steep cliff, and "we wanted the library to step into the hill a bit," says Griffin. "It's part of the main house but distinct within the main area — basically a room within a room." To further distinguish the two spaces, the living room has dark wood flooring and a white ceiling, while the library has the exact opposite: a white floor and a dark-stained microlined oak ceiling. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| The kitchen cabinets are rift-cut white oak that was bleached to provide high contrast with the white Corian counters and dark wood floors. The island holds the sink (recessed fixtures provide task lighting), while the Miele range has a pop-up Dacor hood to keep the overall look clean. A Sub-Zero refrigerator completes the kitchen triangle. The doors visible at the rear lead out to another courtyard. |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Another reason for relocating the home's staircase was to create better access to the backyard. As you turn to the right at the landing, another set of stairs leads up to the second floor. "The owners really wanted superclean detailing," notes Griffin of the simple, open stair treads.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
The minimal feel continues on the bedroom level, where a glass railing is recessed into the floor and channels into the wall. The new guest room addition is to the right. A powder-coated steel ladder "almost feels like a piece of art, but it actually allows the owners to climb through a skylight and use the rooftop as an impromptu roof garden," says Griffin.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| The desire to keep things minimal is also on display in the master bedroom. A single Verner Panton chair is visible in the mirror's reflection. The pitched wall is part of the home's original roofline. "It became an abstract element, especially with the scale of the window boxes" says Griffin. The line of laminated glass is just high enough to hide the roof of a neighboring house but allows for sweeping views to the south, east and west — on a clear day you can even see the Pacific Ocean. |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
The master bathroom has a separate water closet but is otherwise open to the bedroom. "Keeping everything open makes both areas feel larger," says Griffin. "Our firm has been taking this approach more and more as a way of expanding the space between a bedroom and a bathroom." The mirror was placed on the wall opposite the window box, so that "you are looking at nature and feel like you're floating in the hills," she explains.
The tile floor is limestone, and the floating vanity is covered in rift-cut white oak veneer. In a perfect mix of high and low, the print portraying Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's was purchased at Ikea. "Graphically it really works," says Griffin. "It's how it's placed next to the pedestal."
The tile floor is limestone, and the floating vanity is covered in rift-cut white oak veneer. In a perfect mix of high and low, the print portraying Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's was purchased at Ikea. "Graphically it really works," says Griffin. "It's how it's placed next to the pedestal."
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
"The Duravit bathtub is right above you as you enter the house," says Griffin. "You can kind of see its shadow, and it's almost voyeuristic." The height of the laminated glass was set for just the right amount of privacy.
More:
Innovative Modern Design in L.A.
More:
Innovative Modern Design in L.A.
Comments
Denise Vilim After admiring the photos of this stunning home for some time here on Houzz, it's nice to have its back-story also. Thanks!
14 months ago · Like
Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. Hi Lawrence. Great example of California Modern. I think that orange sofa makes the whole space and I particularly like the raised section of the house that feesl like a library corner with the floating staircase. Beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Charmean
14 months ago · Like
· 
1
1
clstorm This home is beautiful, I would love to see some before pictures.
14 months ago · Like
· 1
1
Cathy I want to see pictures of the rooftop garden!! :)
14 months ago · Like
· 1
1
Valerie Bowles Yes, yes, yes!
14 months ago · Like
Treybo Great lines and light, and importantly, architect/owners knew when to stop -- home not over the top. Would love to see the Before photo's.
14 months ago · Like
linhome Love it!!! Great ideas - minimalist approach and the orange sofa is great!
14 months ago · Like
Becky Harris I LOVE that library!
14 months ago · Like
sarapnp I love modern homes - and I love what they've done. My only criticism is that the overall design seems "textbook" - dare I say "modern generic"? While the feel and feng shui are classic, as far as I can tell, there is not one original idea captured in any part of this house.
14 months ago · Like
noor ali amazing house I like it
14 months ago · Like
Patty Talana STUNNING!!!!!!!!!
14 months ago · Like
kirstjen Beautiful! I wouldn't change a thing.
14 months ago · Like
n3ellie What wonderful shapes and use of space accented with great colour. Would love to live in this house
14 months ago · Like
a050 love the huge windows! I bet it feels great to just be in this space!
14 months ago · Like
catherinecarson Is that staircase legal?
14 months ago · Like
aadra I like mirror opposite the window box idea...the view must be truly worth it.
13 months ago · Like
ymac Every Cliche in the book!
13 months ago · Like
Rotsen Furniture Would love to have that library!
13 months ago · Like
maryphil Wow! Would love to see the BEFORE pics to see the transformation.
13 months ago · Like
Suez Totally beautiful! Wish the before pix were added...
13 months ago · Like
Danijela Quenzler OOooo, I want to call it home!
13 months ago · Like
Ideabook updated on Feb. 17, 2013.
What are you working on?
News From Our Partners
Latest Ideabooks
People found the photos in this ideabook after searching for:
View over a million photos:
